Monday, November 06, 2006

More Nifong Demagoguery

This morning, buffeted by allegations that he ignored a sexual harassment complaint filed against a politically well-connected assistant district attorney and facing strong endorsements for the Recall Nifong-Vote Cheek line in the Chronicle and DBR, Durham County's minister of justice offered his latest in campaign demagoguery.

In an e-mail sent to his supporters with a request that they forward it far and wide, the district attorney played the self-pity card, describing himself as the victim of “the most negative local ads that I have seen in my nearly three decades here.” Some might say when a District Attorney violates as many procedures as Nifong has, he’s opened himself up for criticism.

Continuing the self-pity theme, Nifong taps into longstanding racial memories by wildly accusing the Cheek forces of seeking “to discourage my supporters from voting.” In fact, as he’s well aware, the only attempt to “discourage” anyone from voting in this campaign occurred outside Duke stadium, when a Duke official suppressed a DSED voter registration drive and told lacrosse players to turn inside their shirts saying “Voice Your Choice.”

The minister of justice described his experience at the North Carolina Central Homecoming Parade, where he claims “thousands of people responded to our positive message of equal treatment and access to justice for all of our citizens.”

Equal treatment? One wonders how applying one set of procedures to permanent residents of Durham (and, apparently, NCCU students) and another set of procedures to Duke students constitutes “equal treatment.”

Finally, the Nifong mailer featured the minister of justice unleashing his most chilling description to date of the lacrosse case. He claimed that Cheek supporters consider his prosecution “a threat to their sense of entitlement and that they do not trust a jury of Durham citizens to decide” the case.

This is a man who has totally lost his way.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you for your unselfish dedication to gathering, assessing and presenting the FACTS in this truly terrible situation. All of us will be better off for your efforts. I doubt the Herald Sun will promulgate Nifong's pre-election day missive to his faithful. His words paint quite a picture of his mindset.

Anonymous said...

K.C.,

The irony here is that Liefong and his supporters believe that they are entitled to a trial and guilty verdict, no matter that no evidence exists to prove the case. As I wrote in my latest article, this is a grotesque example of the politics of entitlement.

Notice that he also is stumping to make sure that the trial would be held in Durham? Again, he is hoping for reverse jury nullification. If he really were interested in a "fair" trial, he would be asking for a change of venue.

This man is evil, and a menace to anything good. That people who contribute to this blog support someone who obviously goes against all legal procedures tells me that they only care for rule of force. I guess Liefong and his supporters really do deserve each other.

Anonymous said...

With all the evidence known to date in the lacrosse case, for Nifong to be spewing these lies is simply outrageous. Even when I think I could no longer be shocked by anything this man says or does, I am proven wrong. This man truly must be either just evil to the core and/or insane.

Anonymous said...

So did the e-mail Nifong sent out asking for help from his supporters originate from a private account or his government account? Does it matter?

Anonymous said...

Thanks KC,

Took a moment to slow the laugh down enough to type.

My first thought was I hope we do not see the entire communication until Wednesday. I'll be happy if all we ever see of it are short quotes, followed with a good comment or two like you do so well on.

There's no need to do his campaigning for him.

Anonymous said...

Just as "Nifonging" has become a verb meaning the truncate justice, "Nifongery" now is a word for Nifong Demagoguery.

Anonymous said...

KC,

Is there anyway that you could publish the Fong's email in its entirety?

Thanks!

kcjohnson9 said...

I am happy to forward the email privately to those who want to see it in its entirety; please email me.

Anonymous said...

"In fact, as he’s well aware, the only attempt to “discourage” anyone from voting in this campaign occurred outside Duke stadium..."

Not true! Have you so soon forgotten Grant Farred's letter of October 29 critizing Duke students for exercising their right to vote in Durham? Apprently in his mind there should be some type of test to determine who can vote and whom can not. A pole tax anyone?

Anonymous said...

Has anybody wondered about convictions Nifong has gotten in the past? Given has conduct in this case, just his presence on other criminal cases should prompt a closer look at the record. Put simply, this may not be the first time Nifong has prosecuted a clearly innocent person.

Anonymous said...

I am having a recurring vision of the NiFurher, Cy and the dog headed into the bunker. I do hope we can save the dog.

Anonymous said...

Nifongiavelli is desperate. He's playing defense (victim as you call it correctly) at the 11th hour.

I hope for Durham, all US Citizens concerned for their legal protections, and anybody with a sense of fairness - that this creep get's sent packing tomorrow.

I'm from another state, but this is the election I'll be monitoring closest.

Anonymous said...

Piling on to the 2:24 PM reminder of attempts to discourage anyone from voting, I'll add James Zou's "Do Not Vote" column of 10/20/2006 in the Duke Chronicle.

Anonymous said...

"they do not trust a jury of Durham citizens to decide"

Actually, given the results of some of the polls I've seen, this may be one of the few true statements that Nifong as uttered (For me anyway).

Anonymous said...

Nifong's blatant appeal to racial prejudice coupled with a claim that his opponents are trying to "prejudice a Durham jury" against his prosecution of the lacrosse defendants is yet another despicable wholly unethical effort to equate guilt with race rather than evidence. What a travesty? NC Bar are you listening?

kcjohnson9 said...

I stand corrected on the Zou and Farred reminders!

Anonymous said...

I guess this satire wasn't too far from the truth.

http://www.thebrushback.com/darape_full.htm

Anonymous said...

Who do you think is the president of the Durham County Bar Association?
The mother of Nifong's ADA Destine Couch, Finesse Couch.
http://www.couchandtaibi.com/fcouch.htm

Anonymous said...

Watch out KC, rumor is that the Fong is going after a few bloggers to" teach them a lesson " LOL

sickness will surely take the mind where minds wouldn't usually go

Anonymous said...

i live in durham and with my congressman being a good person and safe for reelection i might have skipped voting. but I am going to vote for sure just to vote against nifong. But i believe what goes around comes around, and we don't have to wish him any negativity, his bad karma will come home on him, maybe sooner... maybe later... but for sure...

i wish the young men much courage and good spirits. I grieve for the families of all involved.

i've just found this blog and I cheer KC and your bringing some good to a bad situation.

Anonymous said...

If Nifong's dog Tillie could vote, I'm certain she would vote for Cheek.

Monks is a loser. He had a once in a lifetime chance to save Durham. Should Nifong win, let follow the money with Monks. He's up to something.

KC your last line is the best. Nifong truly has lost his way.